Overhaul of M&S’s clothing production spearheaded by two little-known brothers seen netting firm £200m in cost savings

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An overhaul of Marks & Spencer’s clothing production spearheaded by two little-known brothers is forecast to net the company £200 million in cost savings.

Mark and Neal Lindsey joined M&S last year to help reverse a profits decline.

Nice cut: Marks & Spencer will buy direct frommanufacturers rather than third-party suppliers

The company had already initiated a supply chain review to buy directly from manufacturers rather than third-party suppliers. But the programme was accelerated by the brothers, who previously worked at Next and came out of retirement for the M&S project.

City sources said the windfall would amount to £200 million over three years. They said it might have been responsible for at least half the pre-tax profits gain at the business last year and possibly even more this year.

M&S, which has also cut back heavily on discounts in the past year, is expected to report an increase in first-half profits in ten days.

The brothers are understood to have signed a multi-million annual pay package deal including salary and bonuses.